Lucas Glover continues to beat the drum about driver testing and how there is currently not a level playing field during major championships, or on the PGA Tour for that matter.
Driver testing has become a major talking point in golf over the past few weeks, after Rory McIlroy was forced into changing his driver just before the PGA Championship when it was deemed to be non-conforming.
Glover has been outspoken about his feelings on the issue on numerous occasions in the past.
The six-time PGA Tour winner has vented his frustrations at the four governing bodies – The Masters committee, the PGA of America, the USGA and the R&A.
Glover has insisted that some golfers are being held to different rules, due to the fact that not everybody is tested before events begin.
And now the man from Greenville, South Carolina, has doubled down on his demands.
Six-time PGA Tour winner complains some golfers are playing under different rules
The 45-year-old is one of the most outspoken players on tour when it comes to rules and regulations.
Glover is renowned for his gripes about slow play, and he continues to fight for change in that regard.
However, his focus right now seems to be on the four major governing bodies of the game conducting driver testing, or the lack thereof.
He said, “I myself have never seen them get in there with a microscope and write down the serial number, but that’s what they say they do, and if that’s the case great. Still, that’s still not my overwhelming concern and point here. It’s the fact that we have other tours and other people coming in and playing in the four biggest events. We have the overwhelming majority of the field as PGA Tour members, so let’s all play under the same guidelines. I know our tour has gone to the four major bodies holding these majors and said, ‘alright, we’ve got to start testing everybody now if possible’. Kudos to the tour for trying to protect us, but the fact is they’re not capable of doing it even on our tour accurately in my opinion, because of the ways around it. That being said, I’m not here to attack anybody, I just want the level playing field for everybody. That goes from drivers to drug-testing to the rules, everything.“
In fairness to Glover, he’s absolutely spot on with his comments there.
Why do pros find it so hard to change drivers even to the same model?
PGA Tour pro J.T. Poston recently explained in detail why it’s such a big deal when players have to change drivers right before a tournament begins.
He said, “A lot of us can tell the difference, I mean we hit thousands of golf balls every single day. So when you’re looking at the same club over and over again, you’re going to notice when it looks a little off. I notice it with my putter when I get it out of my bag and sometimes it doesn’t look right. We’ll get it checked and the loft or lie might be off by half a degree, it sounds so small, but when you’re used to looking at a club over and over again, you’re going to notice. The same goes with the drivers.
“For me, I’m very particular visually, so like, if I do get a new one, a lot of times we will go through two or three that are the exact same head, the same specs, same weight, same everything, but some of them look a touch more shut or a touch more open to my eye compared to what my gamer is. I’m trying to find the closest thing to that game that I can, because that’s what’s going to give me the confidence on the course.“
At the very highest level, familiarity with equipment is one of the most important things a player can have.
That said, it’s worth remembering that Scottie Scheffler was forced to change his driver just before the PGA Championship began, and he went on to win at Quail Hollow.
So make of that what you will.
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